#volsteads

[tomwiener]

Lots of scotch for Evans birthday. #scotch #volsteads #birthday (at Volstead House Whiskey Bar & Speakeasy, Eagan)

[randipetey]

A trip back to the 1920′s

There isn’t anything I love more than a Prohibition-style establishment, so when I heard there was a new speakeasy style bar in the Lyn-Lake neighborhood, I needed to find it. It was my goal. Keep in mind, you're not going to find a website, directions or even a phone number for this place, so when you find it, it’s like you’ve struck gold, but trust me, it’s worth hunting for. Not to mention, the dude it’s named after is notorious in Minneapolis for withholding booze, so it’s kind of like shoving his face in the mud, er... vodka?

Volstead’s Emporium opened in the Lyn-Lake neighborhood in December 2015. There was an article in the Minneapolis City Pages about it, but nothing to really grab you or hook you if you’re not looking for that kind of establishment. In the middle of the winter, there would normally be no way you’d get me to hunt dark alleyways for a hidden bar, but fuck yeah, I was up for this particular challenge. Taking a turn after the bondage shop, Volstead’s is nestled in a dark alley. You’ll have to take a few turns to get to, if you dare, and if there wasn’t a line of people, I may have even missed it.

Once you’re allowed access behind the thick metal door, you’ll go down some creepy-as-shit stairs into the darkness. You’ll be greeted by the most adorable hostess, who can seat you at a table (which we opted out of, due to the hour wait) however, there is plenty of comforatble standing room. Ok, now for the good stuff! 

Appearance:

Everything about this place screams 1920′s, from the attire of the hostess and bartenders, to their drink wear, tables, pictures, etc. There are crazy hidden passages behind the booths and bookcases, you’ll be amazed just watching the servers navigate through the dining area. My favorite part was the booths, which you were able to completely close off from the rest of the bar with velvet curtains. The picture frames on the other side of the booth opened up and you were able to be served in a completely private area. Despite the fact that the place was packed, it had an intimate feel, so you could get wrapped up in the company of whomever you came with, completely oblivious to the road of the crowd around you. It’s easy to tell the people who built this establishment took their time and worked hard to give you an authentic feel. You’ll forget the world around you when spending a few hours in Volstead’s. 

Drinks/Food:

Fucking awesome. I am a lover of the light liquors and of course, wine, (vodka, gin, tequila and maybe rum,) so this was a change for me. A lot of the drinks are made with bourbon or whiskey, which seems typical for the 20′s era, so I ordered whatever sounded delicious, and tested the drinks of others, you know, to make sure we were getting the good stuff. Unfortunately, this was a month ago, so I don’t remember what exactly I had, but I do know the Old Fashioned was raved upon. Also, not knowing they served food, we had eaten before arriving and can't attest to the food. Hopefully, there will be another outing to Volstead’s in the near future, so the food can be sampled. 

Service: 

This is VERY important to me, and is the number one thing that awed me about Volstead’s. If I have a bad experience some place, the world will hear about it, however, this was not the case at Volstead’s. Upon arriving, the wait was about 15 minutes just to get in the door, but the doorman was quick to let people in when others filed out. The hostess, bartender and waitress were simply amazing. As I said, we didn’t request a table, as there are plenty of rails to drink at, and the bar was right in the middle of everything. We found a place to stand at a rail near the bar, and I went to get drinks. The bartenders were very nice, joking with the patrons and put care into the drinks they were making. If that sliver of lemon peel wasn’t perfect, fuck it, they’ll slice you another one. Towards the end of the first drink, the hostess informed us she had a table if we wanted it. I was thoroughly impressed, as we were perfectly content standing and didn’t even ask to be put on a list for a table, not to mention the wait wasn’t even the 60 minutes she said it might be. 

Overall, Volstead’s is a place to go for a great overall experience. Would I frequent this bar every weekend, no, but I would take someone special there or hit this bar up for a special occasion. Also, I have been told you can book a private room for events, though I do not know how this works. Maybe by telegram?